Swimming pool construction



Feb- S 1969 c. JAcuzzl ETAL SWIMMING POOL CONS TRUCT ION S WM W WUHO E050 VAH JNM wf lo DYS www GF4 V: B

WARREN BROSLER GYPHEH ANGL/M ATTR/VEYS Feb. S, 1969 c.JAcU zz1 r-:TAL 3,427,662 SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 16, 1966 Sheet 2 of 4 /IV VEA! TORS OAND/DO JAOUZZ/ FLOYD M. NAS/1' BY ANAS J' BAO ODY WARREN BROSLER GYPHER AVGL/M l AT T OHNE YS Feb. 18, 1969 c JACUZZ|-ETAL 3,427,662

SWIMMING POOL CONSTRUCTION Filed March 16, 1966 FLOYD M. NASH ANAS J. BHOY V, WAHHE N BROSLER OYPHER aANGL/N l D ATTORNEYS Feb. is, gg Q JACUZZ; ETAL 3,427,662

SWIMMING Poo'L CONSTRUCTION y Filed. March 16, 1966 Sheet 4 of 4 nv VE/v ro @s @AND/00 J4 00.22/

FLOYD M. NASH 5y 4I/VAS J. BAROODY WARREN BROS/ EH CYP/45H a NGL/M 770/? EVS United States Patent O 3,427,662 SWIMMING POOL 'CONSTRUCTION `Candido Jacuzzi, Lafayette, Calif., and Floyd M. Nash and Anas J. Baroody, Little Rock, Ark., assignors to Jacuzzi Bros., Incorporated, a corporation of California Filed Mar. 16, 1966, Ser. No. 534,785 U.S. Cl. 4-172 8 Claims Int. Cl. E40h 3/16; B65b 7/28 ABSTRACT F THE DISCLOSURE A pool construction involving fiber glass brick components of different sizes and shapes to enable construction of a pool to meet various requirements of design and enable subsequent changes.

Our invention relates to swimming pools or the like and more particularly to the construction of such a pool.

Among the objects of our invention are:

(1) To provide Ia novel and improved construction of a pool adaptable as a swimming pool;

(2) To provide a novel and improved swimming pool requiring no cement or concrete in its construction;

(3) To provide a novel and improved swimming pool fabricated substantially in its entirety from pre-formed components;

(4) To provide a novel and improved swimming pool utilizing standardized components adapted to a large variety of pool designs;

(5) To provide a novel and improved swimming pool which may be modied or enlarged following its installation;

(6) To provide a novel and improved swimming pool which may be assembled and installed by unskilled labor; and

(7) To provide a novel and improved swimming pool of lightweight and very pleasing in its appearance.

Additional objects of our invention will be brought out in the following description of a preferred embodiment of the same, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a swimming pool embodying the construction of the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal view in section through the pool construction of FIGURE l;

FIGURE 3 is a 3-dimensional rear View of a plurality of panel brick components and corner brick components in process of assembly;

FIGURE 3a is a fragmentary view of one of the panel brick components; f

FIGURE 4 is a 3dimensional view of a triple corner brick component employed in the pool construction of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 5 is a view in elevation of a step section component adapted for incorporation into a swimming pool installation;

FIGURE 6 is a S-dimensional View of a component for joining a step section component of FIGURE 4 to a vertical wall of a pool;

FIGURE 7 is a front View in elevation of the component of FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 8 is a view in section through the coping construction of the pool of the present invention; and

FIGURE 9 is a view depicting a clamp means for use in assembling the components of the swimming pool, in lieu of employing conventional nut and bolt means.

Referring to the drawings for details of our invention in its preferred form, it is noted that the bottom wall 1 as well as the side and end walls 3 and 5 respectively, of the pool are fabricated of panel bricks 9, such bricks being preferably rectangular in shape and of two or three different widths, though similar in length. Thus if the largest panel brick be square and have a length D and a width D, another panel brick may have a length D and a width D/ 2, while a third panel brick of like length, may have a width of D/ 3.

Assuming a square panel brick to have a dimension of 3 feet, then the other two will have widths of 18 inches and 12 inches respectively. With a minimum of these three sizes, depths of a pool may be varied in six inch stages, while the length and width of a pool may be determined in stages of three feet, and the bottom of the pool will vary accordingly.

Joining the bottom wall, side and end walls are longitudinally connected arcuate corner brick components 15, each preferably of a length of 3 feet to equal that of each panel brick. Where these arcuate corner brick components approach each other at the bottom corners of the pool, triple corner brick components 17 are employed to join them in a sealed tight coupling. If these arcuate corner brick components are on a six inch radius, they will add six inches to the depth of the pool, and one foot to both the length and width of the pool.

Where the pool is to vary in depth, as when it is to have a shallow section 19 and a deep section 21, we join the two sections of the bottom 'by step means 23 which preferably extends between opposing walls of the pool, and is formed of serially connected step sections 25, merging into the side walls by joining sections 26.

This arrangement, aside from being very attractive, offers decided advantages over conventional pool construction where the deep end is formed by sloping bottom sections, in that, not only may the deep section as well as the shallow section be of uniform depth, but a step formation offers safe footing, and accordingly, is decidedly less treacherous than a `sloping surface which offers little in the way of foot security.

Further, with a View toward minimizing the insecure footing offered by a sloping bottom surface, a minimum permissible slope of one foot in three has been established for conventional pool construction. Such relatively shallow sloping bottom surface presents a real hazard to one diving from a diving board at the deep end of the pool.

Through the use of step means between the shallow and deep end, the steps may deine a relatively steep slope of one foot in two, while still providing secure footing. Such steeper slope permits of increasing the distance to the diving board, thereby decreasing the hazard to the diver and rendering use of the pool safer.

Each panel ybrick 9 comprises a panel 27 having rearwardly directed flanges 29 along the edges thereof, the flanges being tapered, but with the outer side 31 of each flange lying substantially normal to the plane of the panel. This permits the panels to be assembled side by side in substantially intimate contact along the proximate flanges for clamping the same to form a wall structure, such clamping being made possible by Suitable clamping bolts 33 passing through aligned bolt holes provided in the flanges for this purpose.

Along the perimeter of each panel brick is formed an edge groove 35, to form a caulking channel when two panels are placed side by Side and clamped together as previously indicated. These channels are adapted to receive a caulking compound or sealant for effecting a seal across the seam formed by the clamped flanges behind.

The arcuate corner brick components 15, the triple corner brick components 17, and the step sections 25 and joining sections 26 are all formed with matching flanges and aligned bolt holes, in addition to being formed with edge grooves about the perimeters thereof to create caulking channels with adjacently clamped components.

All components are preferably molded of fiberglass, and when reinforced with stress resisting ribs across the backsides thereof, such components may be very thin in section, for example, of the order of only a quarter of an inch, and this results in components of extremely lightweight.

In finishing off the upper edge of the pool, we provide a coping brick assembly 39 for installation along the straight wall portions of the pool, and a corner coping brick assembly 41 to couple the straight sections where they approach each other at the corners of the pool.

Each coping brick assembly includes a vertical panel component 43 and a deck component 45 adapted to overlap each other and support a coping trim 47 along the overlapping portions to form the edge of the pool.

The vertical panel section of each coping brick assembly is molded with bottom and side tianges similar to those provided in the panel brick components, the bottom flanges enabling these vertical panel sections to be installed along the exposed edges of the uppermost panel bricks to contribute to the height of the pool walls, while the side anges permit of clamping these vertical panel sections to each other. These vertical panel sections, also like the panel brick components, are formed with edge grooves 35 to provide caulking channels when assembled in the manner indicated.

In provoiding for the overlapping of the coping brick assembly components, the vertical panel component 43 is molded with an upper edge or flange 49 joining the side flanges, this upper fiange being formed to provide a lower shoulder 51 to a depth of approximately twice the thickness of the panel component, and an upper shoulder 53, paralleling the first, and between them creating an intermediate bulge 55.

The cooperating deck component 45 is molded with a front flange 57 to a complementary fit. This creates 'a shoulder 59 on the upper side of the deck component ange, and leaves shoulder space on the shoulder 51 in the vertical panel component to provide support for t-lie coping trim 47, which is molded with shoulder engaging flanges 61, 63 adapted to bear against such shoulders. In this position, the coping trim is retained by anchoring bolts 67, molded in the trim and passing through aligned bolt holes in the complementary flanges.

Like the panel brick components and other components of the pool, the deck components of the coping brick assemblies are formed with reinforcing ribs, and anges enabling adjacent components to be bolted together.

A stiffener or angle bar 71 joining the lower end of an upper panel section and the rear end of the deck cornand form a rigid unit therefrom.

At each corner of the pool, the coping brick assembly construction 41, differs from the others only in being shaped to conform to the curvature at the pool corners.

The decking may be extended away from the pool by the addition of panel bricks 9, but if it is to end with the deck panel 45, then these panels should preferably be tied together along their exposed edges by a tension strip or strips 73 bridging the exposed seams and bolted to the proximate flanges. Such tension strips are preferably of metal to resist opening of seams at these points.

Important to the successful installation of a pool of the type here under consideration, is the ability to seal the seams between the various construction units employed. The substantially normal outer surfaces 31 of the flanges, along with the formation of the caulking channels 36 between adjacent units, constitute important steps in this direction, for such construction results in a rather close seam with a relatively wide caulking channel providing facilities for sealing such seam.

The character of the sealing ymaterial and the manner of application of the same, is also of paramount importance in this connection, because such sealant must continue to function as a seal 75 in blocking entrance of water to the seam, despite any tendency of such seams to open in response to developed stresses in the pool structure.

As a sealant material for use in an underwater situation of this kind, we have discovered that a silicone rubber will function admirably when used in connection with fiberglass, despite the general admonition against the use of such sealant material under moist conditions, still less for underwater situations such as in swimming pools. This material, we find, not only bonds very strongly to fiberglass, but retains such bond despite continued submergence of the seal under water. One form of such sealant appears on the Imarket under the designation Dow Corning 780, and this has been used with considerable success by us for such underwater seals.

Preparatory to the use of such material, the surface of the channel is preferably cleaned, such as through the use of an abrasive or chemical surface conditioner, so that a very intimate bonding of the sealant to the treated surface may be assured.

The silicone rubber is applied in the form of semiliquid, or paste, and is self curing, reaching such state in approximately an hour or more, at which time it takes on the characteristics of rubber with substantial elasticity.

In forming the seal, it is highly desirable that the sealant merely bond to the side walls of a channel, and not to the bottom, for adherence to the bottom would seriously restrict its ability to stretch in response to any opening of the seam in response to stress. If so restricted, fracture of the seal would follow after but slight opening of the seam, and thus permit leakage, while adherence to the side walls only, would enable considerable stretching of the order of 50-l50% before destruction of a seal could be expected.

One manner of accomplishing such installation of sealant is to lay in the bottom of the channel, a blocking strip or tape 77 of polyethylene, to which the sealant will not bond.

In addition to our discovery that a silicone rubber will retain its bond to fiberglass under submerged conditions, we have further discovered that the sealant material in its semi-liquid or uncured state, will bond itself to the sealant material in its cured condition, even when applied underwater.

We accordingly prefer to apply the original sealant material in such manner as to form a seal which will tear or fracture before braking its bonds to the walls of the caulking channels, whereby the tear or break may be readily mended by the application of the sealant in its semi-liquid or paste condition to the cured material along the line of tear. Being that such repairs can be effected underwater, such repairs can be made without the necessity of emptying the pool to the point where repair is necessary.

For a given caulking channel, the ability to cause pretearing of the sealant material is a function of the thickness of sealant, and this can readily be determined experimentally for a given channel, using a model channel section for the purpose. This determination can be facilitated by concaving the upper or lower side or both, of the sealant when installing the same, the lower side by a blocking strip having a convex upper surface, and the upper side by running a tool or ones finger along the sealant in the channel before the material has time to cure.

In fabricating a pool of the type described above, the same may be constructed in -a previously prepared excavation, or it may be assembled above -ground for an above ground installation.

In either event, the bottom is first assembled and this is accomplished by assembling it at an angle to the ground, using braces to support the structure as it is being assembled. When it has reached its intended size, the braces are gradually removed as a crewof men support the same and gradually lower it to its position on the ground. This manner of assembling and laying the bottom of the pool is made possible due to the lightweight construction involved.

Preferably, a bed of sand is first prepared on which to rest the bottom and thus assure support therefor throughout its entire area.

Once the bottom has been thus prepared and installed, it becomes a relatively simple matter to assemble the side and end walls and deck portions of the pool, following whch, the seams may be sealed in the manner indicated.

Inasmuch as the fiberglass panels may be cut and drilled, suitable openings and holes may be provided for installation of plumbing fittings, skimmers, rope anchors and the like whe-re required.

A pool of the type .described is self-sustaining and capable of resisting the expected stresses and strains of normal use, and if the installation is above ground, the pool may be enclosed by a wall structure along the edge of the decking, and in the space thus provided beneath the decking, may be installed the pump and filter, leaving adequate storage space for equipment and supplies.

In a below ground installation, the excavation will be filled in about the pool, preferably leaving a section unfilled to provide a room or chamber for installation of the pump and filter and provide adequate storage space. The fill will serve to function as backing for the wall lrstructure of the pool, and to that extent, tend to relieve the pool Walls of stresses and strains which it may otherwise have to resist by itself, Ias in an above-ground installation.

Aside from the fact that the pool construction of the present invention can be assembled without the use or need of heavy duty concrete mixing and blowing machines, it lends itself to installation in locations where accessibility to such type of machines is not available.

Further, the fact that the assembly is fabricated of units which may be dis-assembled, an existing pool installation may be enlarged, if desired, merely by following the procedures employed in the original installation. The to be added bottom portion when assembled and y.positioned alongside the exposed end of the prevailing bottom, may be bolted to the original bottom by providing a trench along the joint line to render accessible, the flanges to be bolted together.

In assembling the various components to fabricate the pool, we have described the use of clamping bolts 33 through matching holes in the adjacent flanges. This operation may be facilitated and accomplished more economically, however, through the use of steel V-clamps 81 having inturned ends 83, 85, the spacing between the legs of the clamp being such as to permit the clamp to be driven into clamping position with sufficient grip to prevent the clamps from sliding off of their own accord. Such gripping will occur not only at the inturned ends of the clamp, but also in the crotch 87 where the edges of the flanges will be securely gripped.

The use of such clamps will eliminate the formation of the many bolt holes otherwise required, as well as the labor of assembling and tightening such bolts.

The swimming pool depicted in FIGURES l and 2, is merely representative of one of the many swimming pool designs capable of being assembled, using the components described. For example, step components may be installed along the wall at the shallow end, or along a side wall or portion thereof; the deep portion of a pool may be intermediate two shallow end portions; the depth may be determined over a wide range; and with minor changes, the pool may be designed to shapes whic can be varied almost without limit. l

From the foregoing description of our invention in its preferred form, it will be apparent that the same fulfills all the objects attributed thereto, and while we have illustrated and described the same in its preferred form, it will be apparent that the same is subject to alteration and modification without departing from the underlying principles involved and we accordingly do not desire to be limited in our protection to the specific details illustrated and described except as may be necessitated by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. A pool construction comprising a bottom wall and surrounding walls, said bottom wall and surrounding walls each including at least one horizontal row of panel bricks, with each brick having a rearwardly directed flange along each edge and adjacent a flange of a proximate brick, and means clamping said adjacent flanges together to hold said panel bricks in wall forming relationship, rows of arcuate corner bricks joining said bottom, side and end walls along the length and width thereof, and a triple corner brick joining the proximate edges of said arcuate corner bricks at the bottom corners of said pool.

2. A pool construction in accordance with claim 8 characterized by said sealant material being bonded to the side walls of said channel to the substantial exclusion of the bottom of said channel.

3. A pool construction in accordance with claim 1, characterized by deck along the upper edge of at least one of said side or end walls, said deck comprising a plurality of coping brick assemblies in end to end relationship, each coping brick assembly including a vertical panel component installed along the upper edge of the uppermost panel brick of said Wall, and a deck component, said vertical and deck components of each coping brick assembly having adjacently disposed flanges in overlapping relationship to each other to provide a support for coping trim along said plurality of coping brick assemblies, and coping trim affixed to said 4coping brick assemblies, along said overlapping flanges.

4. A pool construction in accordance with claim 1, characterized by all wall components except said triple corner brick, being of same length, with some components of narrower width than others, and the width of the narrowest component mathematically registering a whole number of times into the width of the larger components.

5. A pool construction in accordance with claim 1, characterized by each said flange being tapered but having its outer side normal to the plane of the panel brick, and said clamping means being in the form of V-shape clamps with inturned ends, and adapted to straddle adjacently disposed flanges with said inturned ends in forcible engagement against said flanges at an intermediate location thereon.

6. A pool construction in accordance with claim 5, characterized by said V-shape clamps, each having a crotch adapted to frictionally received the edges of said adjacent anges.

7. A pool construction comprising a bottom wall and surrounding side walls of ber glass panel bricks, said bottom Wall including a shallow section and a deep section, and step means joining said shallow section with said deep section and extending between opposing walls of said pool, said step means being formed of at least one preformed step section of ber glass and a preformed joining section of ber glass at each end of said step means for merging the steps with the proximate wall of the pool.

8. A pool construction in accordance with claim 1, characterized by an edge groove along the perimeter of each panel brick to form a channel with an adjacent edge groove of a proximate panel brick, and sealant material in said channel, said sealant material being stretchable.

8 References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,535,162 4/1925 Kime 138-158 2,041,675 5/1936 Frank et al. 138--159 2,129,865 9/1938 Newport et al. 138--158 2,490,272 12/ 1949 Kascle 4-172 2,816,329 12/1957 Sogaro 52-309 3,005,207 10/1961 Matrai 4-172 3,015,191 1/1962 Lucchesi 4-172 3,026,538 3/1962 Boyd et al. 4-172 3,236,012 2/1966 Laven 4-172 3,289,370 12/1966 Van Etten 52-309 LAVERNE D. GEIGER, Primary Examiner.

H. K. ARTIS, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. X.R. 5 2-3 09 

